Over 5 million gambling addicts in Japan: Poll

A roulette table being displayed at a Tokyo department store in August 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP

TOKYO - An estimated 5.36 million people across Japan are pathological gamblers, addicted to such activities as pachinko games, according to a Health Ministry survey.

The figure accounts for 4.8 per cent of all adults.

"The percentage is higher than in other countries, where it's about 1 per cent.

"This is probably because anybody can easily play pachisuro slot machine games anywhere in the nation," said Mr Susumu Higuchi, director of the National Hospital Organisation Kurihama Medical and Addiction Centre.